2012-04 - Issue 00080

VEDIC MATHEMATICS NEWSLETTER

ISSUE No. 80

A warm welcome to our new subscribers.Vedic Mathematics is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people are introduced to the beautifully unified and easy Vedic methods. The purpose of this Newsletter is to provide information about developments in education and research and books, articles, courses, talks etc., and also to bring together those working with Vedic Mathematics. If you are working with Vedic Mathematics - teaching it or doing research - please contact us and let us include you and some description of your work in the Newsletter. Perhaps you would like to submit an article for inclusion in a later issue or tell us about a course or talk you will be giving or have given. If you are learning Vedic Maths, let us know how you are getting on and what you think of this system.

This issue's article is from Vera Stevens, a mathematics teacher in Australia (more news about Vera in this newsletter). Her thought-provoking article is titled "The History of Numbers as it Relates to Children Today"

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NEWS

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VEDIC MATHS COURSE IN LONDONThis introductory course will be held at the Idler Academy (81 Westbourne Park Road, London W2 5QH, tel: 0845 250 1281). It starts on 15th May, 6.30 for 7pm and will run for 9 Tuesdays. Please visit http://idler.co.uk/shop for more information. The course will be given by James Glover, a long-standing expert in Vedic Mathematics.

NEW VEDIC MATHS BOOK FOR THE YOUNGEST LEARNERSVera Stevens book "Pebble Maths - A new and successful way to teach Vedic Maths to beginner learners of all ages and abilities" will soon be available. The book will be launched on 3rd May at Byron Community College, Mullumbimby, Australia. You can see details of the book at her new website: pebblemaths.org

This teaching manual explores the nature, essence and physical reality of the numbers.By working with this method, teachers can imbue their students with a great depth of understanding, joy, and love for mathematics.

Vera will be travelling to various countries in May/June. If you would like to meet her to discuss her work you can email her at:

NEW ARTICLE IN THE ONLINE JOURNALA new article has been added to our new Journal : "Ellipse Problem Solved using Triple Code Numbers" by Steven Vogel. Here we see how to use triple code numbers to solve the problem of finding integral points on an ellipse where the ellipse must also be defined in terms of integers (major and minor axes and distance between the foci).

See the article at: http://www.vedicmaths.org/Journal.asp

ARE YOU IN OR NEAR MAINE, USA?If so, Mike Greenlaw is studying Vedic Math and teaching his grandchildren and others and would like to connect with someone local to discuss VM. His email address is:

Here are 3 quotes from this article:"Government figures show almost half the working population of England have only primary school maths skills."

"He pointed to research by KPMG auditors suggesting that annual costs to the public purse arising from a failure to master basic numeracy skills amounted to £2.4bn."

"National Numeracy quotes from research suggesting weak maths skills are linked with an array of poor life outcomes such as prison, unemployment, exclusion from school, poverty and long-term illness."

VEDIC MATHS SEMINAR, Manchester Saturday 18th February 2012Around 20 people arrived for the day and enjoyed this initial exploration into the simplicity and joy of Vedic maths. We were inspired by the revelation of the intelligence behind the Sutras and the great delight in solving a large number of arithmetic problems associated with the Nikhilam, Vertically and Crosswise and Recurring Decimals. The examples were simple and well-graded and I'm sure I detected a competitive spirit developing amongst some of the attendees! As a bonus, the food was to die for - thanks to the catering team!So what next? We are testing the water to see if there is any interest in forming some study groups which could penetrate the Sutras more fully. Hopefully, the day whetted the appetite of enough people to engage with this fascinating subject. Perhaps a Vedic Maths seminar could be an annual event. Let's hope so.Iain Jenkins (a member of the organising team)

'INTRODUCTION TO VM' IN USA by Sreenivas Ainapurapu'Practicalculations using Vedic Mathematics' program went very well on last weekend. There were 28 participants (18 students and 10 parents). I heard from some of them that they liked the session and would like to organize classes in their area. Some participants attended driving 26 miles.

One noted organization asked me to conduct teachers' training for their teachers in US (California, Florida, Illinois as of now). Another organization gave me an hour duration to demonstrate Vedic Mathematics in their retreat on May 19th.

SAI KIRAN TO SET NEW WORLD RECORDSubtracting two 70-digit numbers in under a minute using Vedic Mathshttp://ibnlive.in.com/news/sai-kiran-to-set-new-world-record/246207-60-121.html

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THE HISTORY OF NUMBERS AS IT RELATES TO CHILDREN TODAY

By Vera Stevens

The purpose of this book is to help teachers and students to understand how ethnicity affects their learning, especially in regards to mathematics.

Many peoples are learning mathematical concepts which are totally inappropriate for their culture.

Peoples who have been colonized, removed from their home country and communities because of war or other reasons, have no access to their origins in regard to learning mathematics.

Children are taught what seems like a foreign language, without the aid of a dictionary, and are expected to thrive within a mindset that does not gel with their own.

Mathematics exists within every culture. However each approach, for want of a better word , is different . Some students can manage the change to the "Western Mathematics". Others cannot and are therefore relegated to the 'no good at Maths' section of the community.

My intention is to discover the roots of mathematics in various cultures and blend this with modern requirements for the student.

I have taught numerous dispossessed indigenous Australian children who find no joy in the way that mathematics is taught to them in school. I wish to help them connect with the roots of their culture with regard to mathematics.

It is my belief that the soul is nourished only if it feels at home in its environment. This does not just refer to land, clothing, music, food and community, but also to learning, to appropriate schooling.

Many cultures have an oral tradition. Yet we expect the children to accept reading and writing with no problems.

In my experience with some children in Vanuatu, the understanding of doubling in relation to multiplication was not familiar. Try as I might, I could not create a symbolism that was meaningful for them. Instead of pursuing the existing curriculum I need to discover on what to base the learning such that the children can accept the concepts with ease.

Mathematics is a struggle because it is outside of many peoples experience. This must change. It will only happen when maths flows naturally from the roots of each being.

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Your comments about this Newsletter are invited.If you would like to send us details about your work or submit an article or details about a course/talk etc. for inclusion, please let us know at

Previous issues of this Newsletter can be viewed and copied from the Web Site: www.vedicmaths.orgPlease pass a copy of this Newsletter on to anyone you think may be interested.